Are you an academic trainee (Post-doc/DVM/PhD/MBA/MD/JD/MS/MEng) eager to build a life science startup? Whether your passion lies in therapeutics, diagnostics, medtech, synthetic biology, or fields like food, energy, agriculture, or consumer products, this is your opportunity to transform your research into a groundbreaking venture! Applications for Nucleate’s Flagship Activator Program are NOW OPEN!

To learn more, sign up for a virtual info session or Live Q&A session with Activator Alumni and Mentors:

• Virtual Info Session:  Thursday, September 18, at 12 PM
• Nucleate Activator – Insider Session: Tuesday, October 7, at 6 PM
• Alternatively, join Nucleate at events in NYC: Connect and Collab: Fall Mixer with NYAS Thursday, September 25, at 6 PM at NYAS

The Offer:

• Completely Free: Nucleate never takes equity or charges fees for its programs
• Mentorship from Industry Leaders: Receive guidance from experienced mentors.
• Comprehensive Educational Programming: Learn from the best in workshops and seminars.
• Global Community: Join a network of peers, alumni, and leaders across 18+ cities worldwide.
• Investor Introductions: Get connected with investors ready to support your breakthrough.
• No Forced Incorporation: Focus on your venture at your own pace.

If you have an idea (i.e., you’re an Inventor), you can apply for either the Bio or Eco track:

• Bio Track: For innovators in therapeutics, diagnostics, or tools.
• Eco Track: Focused on food & agriculture, chemicals & energy, or consumer products.

Don’t have an idea yet? No worries! You can still join a team as a scientific, business, or clinical contributor through Nucleate’s matching process.

Got a team already? Your collaborators can come on board as team affiliates, so you all get the chance to learn and build together.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis through October 20. Early submission is encouraged for early team matching.

Check out Nucleate’s FAQs page if you have any questions.

What about IP? Nucleate Activator is an education-focused, non-dilutive program that does not take any equity or IP, and all programming is designed to be non-confidential. Inventors applying to the program must secure approval from their PI and TTO before final acceptance.

About Nucleate

Nucleate is a student-run nonprofit organization that facilitates the formation of new life science ventures. Nucleate’s equity-free Activator program supports emerging bioentrepreneurs coming from academia who plan to tackle the biggest challenges in human health (Bio Track) and sustainability (Eco Track) by building life science companies. Since inception seven years ago, Nucleate has guided 600+ scientific teams through their earliest stages, leading to the formation of more than 180 companies that have collectively raised over $500M. Alumni of the program are commercializing breakthrough technologies such as protein sequencing (Glyphic), AI drug design (Manifold Bio, Concerto), biomanufacturing (Foray Biosciences) and many more.

Apply

Apply here before October 20th, 2025. 

To learn more about Nucleate visit Linktree

Questions

Adithya Prabakaran (ap767@cornell.edu) is happy to help answer questions!

Adithya Prabakaran

B.S. ‘25 Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University

PhD Student, Cancer Engineering, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Technology Sourcing Lead | Nucleate New York